


Burning Joy

by HazelGatoya



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Azura is very dead, Camilla is actually subtle, Corrin is STRUGGLING guys, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Niles is a good friend, Odin is doing his best, Pining, Post-Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, Shigure and Ophelia are cute, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:40:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelGatoya/pseuds/HazelGatoya
Summary: Commissioned by Merthyr, as he called himself with his guest name.The Awakening Trio has decided to go home and take their spouses with them, to do their best to pick up the pieces this second war has left with them. Odin has lost a wife, everyone else has lost their beloved songstress.Camilla has lost a sister and is also not certain what the future holds.
Relationships: Aqua | Azura/Odin, Camilla/Odin (Fire Emblem), Charlotte/Marx | Xander, Elise/Zero | Niles, Felicia/Lazward | Laslow, Luna | Selena/My Unit | Kamui | Corrin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

Legends were all well and good, and dragons were perfectly entitled to their higher mindsets, but sometimes Odin really wished that he had more details of what exactly their high and mighty plans meant for the humans involved.

He supposed he couldn't _really_ blame Anankos for his current issues, though. The dragon could have possibly forseen him falling for a doomed woman and warned him, but as he and the others had proved, the future was always shifting, changing, no outcomes really certain. That and he was a pawn on a chessboard much like his Lord Leo's- well, maybe more like a bishop since he knew so much- but he was still a piece in a much greater conflict. One that had ended. Prince Takumi had been directly connected to Anankos's insanity, he'd heard the dragon's quiet "thank you" at the same time Corrin had heard the deceased prince's. The air itself had shifted. They had won. Sacrifices had been made, and the truce between Hoshido and Nohr was uneasy, but the world was not going to end by anything other than human hands.

That didn't mean that irreparable damage hadn't been done on the level that the royalty and Odin existed on, thanks.

"Father?”

Odin shook himself out of his thoughts, looking away from the grounds of the castle to his teenage son. “Something troubling you, Shigure?” he asked, very quickly noting the solemn look on his face with a slight pang. He’d rarely seen Azura without that expression in the days before she’d died. 

“I… I was just wondering what would be alright to take with me when we depart from Nohr,” Shigure replied, and the pang faded away since Odin couldn’t help but smile at the repeated question. Nor could he stop that smile from growing at how flustered Shigure’s expression suddenly turned when he noticed said smile. “I know I asked already, but with magic such as-”

“We are not to discuss the details of the ethereal means we’ll be using in the hallway, son.” Odin pushed himself off of the windowsill. “And the answer is still what you’re willing and able to carry with you that isn’t an unwilling person. Don’t overthink it.”

“It’s hard not to overthink something of this magnitude,” Shigure sighed, looking towards the window as well. “I swear, Ophelia has been tearing apart her room and putting it back together ever since you told us about… this… so…”

“I know.” Odin looked out the window again. “Selena is honestly making a bigger deal out of the entire thing than she really should be.” She was distracting herself, he knew that. Distracting herself and trying to convince little Kana that Ylisse was worth leaving everyone in Nohr behind while also trying to convince her husband to at least spend some time with his family before he would never see them again. 

“Do you need anything, Father?”

Oh. Odin gave his son another wry smile, finally seeing the solemnity in Shigure’s expression for what it really was. “The great Odin Dark has no need for anything except perhaps some tasks to do. Milord is practical after all. I will be unable to help him in a few months' time, so he has gradually been shifting the workload onto himself and Niles.” Leaving him bored and with entirely too much time to think, but he could see Leo’s reasoning. “So if you or Ophelia find yourselves in need of any sort of aid, come to me first. I no longer have a schedule.”

Shigure nodded, but Odin seriously doubted that he’d be taken up on that offer. His children had both picked up on their mother’s practicality as well as her ability to get work done. They would be fine on their own, though he would not mind being proved wrong. He wasn’t sure what to do with himself when he wasn’t needed.

-

“Odin, dearest?”

It was only years upon years of swordplay that made sure that Odin didn’t falter in his step. He lunged forward, decapitating the dummy in one swift strike before he turned on his heel, sheathing his sword in the same smooth motion and giving Princess Camilla his usual bright smile. “Milady! How might the darkest of the retainers in Nohr be of service to you this day?”

She returned his smile with the one that he had grown accustomed to seeing over the years.Gentle with more than a hint of amusement. “There’s no need to refer to me by title, Odin. Camilla will do. And I couldn’t help but notice that dear Leo hasn’t been giving you much to do.”

“No, which is perfectly understandable with my departure from the country encroaching rapidly,” he replied, ignoring the pang at her reminder that he was technically family now. Technically. 

“Nor are you as busy packing as Laslow or Selena.”

“They have a few more concerns than I do.” Namely spouses. That, and Soleil and Felicia had a lot of family outside of the royal family- which had accepted theirs and Corrin’s departure surprisingly easily- that they had to cut ties with. Corrin was just… not doing well right now. “Shigure and Ophelia are hardly in need of my aid with packing or tying up loose ends.” He waved a hand, giving a small smile. “They are as competent as their old man and their mother.”

"Walk with me, then?” Camilla gestured for him to come closer, and they ignored the melancholy in the air at the mention of Azura. “It has been a long time since we last spoke.” 

She wasn’t wrong. And he had nothing better to be doing, so… “It shall be as you wish.” He bowed slightly, drawing a chuckle from her, and they began walking away from the training yard. “My eyes have not been blessed with your presence much since the war’s end. Have there been many tasks taking up your time?”

“Mostly self-inflicted ones, lately,” Camilla replied. “While my brothers have been spearheading the effort to clean up the streets of Nohr, Elise and I have actually been working to build orphanages. There are more orphans on our kingdom’s streets than I can stand to look at. Poor children.”

“There are worse things one could do.” Like absolutely nothing. Which King Garon had been doing for all of the Ylisseans’ stay in Nohr. Odin was not often glad that someone died, but that man… well. He had died long before Odin had an opinion of him. They had just put a dog out of his misery when they had killed that creature in Hoshido.

“Yes…” Camilla’s voice was quiet, and he actually looked up and met her gaze, watching her study him. “Tell me, would you like to come out on one of these ventures into Nohr with me this afternoon?” She granted him another small smile. 

“I would be honored,” Odin replied, giving her the brightest smile he could muster in return. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do and it would be nice to finally get out of the palace after so much time… well, he supposed “moping” was the appropriate word. Moping inside the castle and doing his best to ignore his feelings once again. He was a father now, after all. He still didn’t have the luxury to just sit around and grieve. “Just let me tell my children that I will be gone, give me the time to meet you, and I shall be by your side as you step from Krakenburg.”

His bow to accompany his words got a laugh from her, and his smile grew a little more sincere. It was nice to have someone laugh at his antics rather than groan, even if it generally hadn’t happened before the war’s end.

-

The kids were cute. Despite giving up his tomes at Corrin and Leo’s insistence, Odin still did have some magical skill- parlour tricks, really, but that was enough to delight a child. He flipped the cards over, watching three pairs of wide eyes as they streamed from hand to hand. “And with a final swoop…” he muttered a word of power with the flip, and the cards vanished into smoke.

The kids all cheered, staring at his still smoking fingertips, coming closer to look. He chuckled, drawing his hand back. “Careful, careful. Such arcane secrets are troublesome to know for such young minds. You do not want to gain such knowledge carelessly.”

“But it’s so cool!” One of the two girls puffed her cheeks out at him. 

“Alright you three.” They all straightened up immediately as Camilla spoke, watching her come towards them. “The repairs are finished and you’re the last group. Go on, go home.”

“Bye, Your Highness, thank you!” the two girls chirped while the boy gave a hasty bow, and they all scampered off. 

Odin smiled after them, and stood up, lacing his fingers together and stretching out his hands. A couple hours of watching kids and making sure that the building teams were doing well on the orphanages was honestly a better use of his time than anything else he’d been doing lately, and it was- “It’s nice to see actual children running about, isn’t it?” Camilla asked, finishing his thought. 

“Indeed,” he replied with a small nod. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen so many.” Children weren’t exactly plentiful in Castle Krakenburg, on a battlefield, or quite frankly anywhere that a royal retainer frequented. With his own children, he hadn’t been there for a lot of their firsts, since again, children had no place on the battlefield. He’d wondered why Azura had wanted to have them since she seemed more sensible than the rest of the army- and had realized that it was _because_ she was more sensible than the rest far, far too late.

“Have you dealt with multiple children before?” Camilla asked, looking to him.

“Mm.” It didn’t matter anymore, what was kept secret and what was not. He and the other two were going home soon anyways, and he’d already told Azura this besides. “Yes. One of my friends lives at an orphanage that her father opened. I went there to regale the kids with stories whenever I was in the area before the three of us were called to Nohr.”

“Ah. That sounds like a wonderful home. Surrounded by smiling faces day after day,” Camilla remarked softly. “...Was there war in your homeland as well?”

“There was, but by the time the orphanage opened, all traces of it had been erased,” Odin replied, staring towards the buildings. “All traces of it save the wounds of those left behind. Including the youths in Libra’s orphanages.”

He could feel her gaze on him, quiet and seeing far too much all at once the same way that Azura’s had. Perhaps a little less so. He had yet to meet anyone with more insight than his wife. “Do you… regret the Deeprealms?” she asked, voice quieter.

“I regret any time that I don’t get to spend with my family, but what’s done is done and time will not turn back.” Not truly, anyways. He gave her a tight smile. “So there is no point in staring at the void of what may have been if only I had made different choices.”

She tugged at her hair with a soft sigh. “Selena said much the same thing. She’s becoming frustrated with dear Corrin, but…”

Odin gave a slight shrug, looking away again. “I cannot blame him. Not with how often he and Azura spoke during the war, not with the connection that they had. Some of us are simply more numb when it comes to loss.” 

The conversation stopped there, and they made their way back to the palace, the work they’d set out to do finished and Odin far more tired than he’d thought he would be at the end of it all.

-

“Odin.”

His name along with the knocking on his door brought him to full consciousness, and he blinked at the sight of Selena hovering in his doorway. “Oh. Hello,” he greeted her, sitting up with a grunt and then blinking at the amount of light coming into the room despite the fact that it was overcast outside. He’d gotten fairly good at telling what time it was regardless of clouds, it was _always_ overcast in Nohr. His heart sank a bit. “I did it again?”

“Yeah.” She puffed a cheek out, releasing the breath slowly. “It’s an hour before noon, in case you were wondering.” He nodded his thanks, getting off of the bed and doing his best to stifle a yawn. It didn’t work, and he shook his head in an attempt to clear it as Selena continued speaking. “Corrin wants to go to Hoshido. Lay flowers on his mother and brothers’ graves, talk with the queen and princess about what’s up. You know, same sort of drill that’s going on with Laslow and Felicia.”

“With a lot more tension in the air, I’m sure,” Odin muttered. 

“I mean, yeah, but you don’t have to say it like…” Selena sighed. “You up to dealing with people today?”

“...Depends on why you’re asking,” he answered truthfully, giving a small sigh of his own. The answer was no. But he’d likely go crazy in here without something to do, so dealing with people was always the better option even if he was… more unpredictable than he would like, his grip on his persona loose and wobbling. 

“Fair. Like I said, Corrin and I are leaving, and Beruka’s on a separate mission, so Lady Camilla is currently without retainers and… well.”

“Then yes, I will attempt to pull myself together enough to work with her.” Odin gave a small nod. He needed to, he hated being in these sorts of moods, and he always was whenever he just… didn’t get out of bed when he woke up the first time. Couldn’t muster the urge to.

Selena studied him, concern obvious in her red eyes. It was grating, for some reason, but before either of them could speak again, there was the pattering of feet down the hall. Selena turned her head, and then quickly moved out of the doorway so that a young teenager with a full head of pale hair could peek in. “Father?”

Odin immediately smiled, throwing up all the walls as quickly as possible and shoving down hot panic. The kids, not in front of the kids, they shouldn’t have to see this. “Ophelia! What has your lovely face so twisted up in concern?” He knew, he just…

“I was worried some foul sickness had sunk its claws into you, Father,” she replied, stepping into the room and looking up at him. “You did not arrive for breakfast and so…”

“I am sorry to be the cause of your worry.” He gently patted her cheek. “It’s simply one of those mornings. The darkness of the abyss is sometimes far too welcoming and pulls me back.”

“My gods, you two are dorks,” Selena muttered, but there was something akin to relief on her face though the worry was still in her eyes as she gazed at him. “I’m heading out with your Uncle Corrin, Ophelia, I was just coming in to tell your dad that and found him still asleep.”

“As long as you’re not sick!” Ophelia chirped before throwing her arms around Odin and giving him a small smile. “Crimson Ophelia’s hugs are legendary enough to cure any ailment if they last long enough!”

“Not if the ailment is contagious,” Odin huffed, the laugh escaping him far more easily than expected, thankfully with no sort of hysteria as he returned his daughter’s hug and Selena moved out of the room, down the hall, her long red pigtails fluttering behind her. He gently ran a hand through Ophelia’s pale blue hair, allowing his expression to soften a bit. Both of them looked enough like their mother that it was like a small piece of her was still around despite- despite what had happened. “I suppose that a meal is in order before I go off to do the daily legendary actions of Odin Dark.”

“Yes please.” She peeked up at him with Lissa’s eyes. “Legendary deeds are no fun on an empty stomach!”

“The truth of your words shines far too brightly for the darkness to have a hold on anything,” he told her, gently kissing her forehead and then allowing her to lead him from the room.

-

“Where might Beruka be, Milady?” Odin asked as they walked among the streets looking around the area. The people were more willing to come up out of the underground now that King Garon was off the throne. 

“Camilla, Odin dear,” she corrected him once again just as he was drawing in a breath to continue. 

He gave an embarrassed cough, toning himself down again. “Yes. Camilla. My apologies. I would have asked Selena when she told me you had need of me today, but Ophelia interrupted our conversation and Selena was having none of our particular vernacular.”

“Yes, and she and Corrin left quite quickly after she spoke to you, I’d wager,” Camilla sighed. “Corrin has been needing to get out of Castle Krakenburg and saying goodbye to his other sisters is… certainly something that needed to happen. Hopefully it helps him a little.” It probably wouldn’t, but Odin wouldn’t say that out loud, remaining quiet as he walked besides the princess and she continued to speak. “Beruka is helping in Cheve. Our best wyvern riders used to come from there before the rebellion, and she… well, I suppose you could say she speaks their language better than anyone else in Windmire.”

“The language of death, scaled wings and flashing axes?”

Camilla laughed. “I suppose that is one way to put it, yes.” Her smile grew just a bit more subdued. “And honestly, those in Cheve need all the help they can get. Beruka asked me why I could not go myself and I explained that… well…”

“Perhaps they would not take too well to seeing one of the people who authorized the Great Hans Slaughter?” Odin asked, waving to one of the braver teenagers who had waved at them.

Camilla sighed, giving a small nod. “Has anyone ever told you, that when you speak clearly, you speak very, very clearly?”

Odin tilted his head. “And is that favorable or unfavorable to you?”

Her smile returned. “Oh, very favorable. You’re one of the most honest men I’ve ever met when you’re not speaking in your particular vernacular-” He blinked when she put it the way that he had, blushing just slightly and a smile peeking out on his own face. “And even when you are, at times. We all need a little more clarity in our lives, even if yours is disguised at times.”

“You humble me, Camilla.” Even though they were in the middle of the street, he took her hand and did one of his signature, flourishing bows, pressing the gem on his forehead to the back of her hand. “I am happy to bring just a little more clarity to your life.” 

She laughed once again, and he straightened with a grin before they began walking once again. “In any case, I have no retainers, and you have told me that you have far too much time on your hands. Selena and Corrin didn’t really give me a timeframe, so would you be willing to continue to work with me?”

“It would be an honor,” he replied, and they shared another smile before continuing their walk. He took note that both Laslow and Selena were going to be gone for quite some time, along with Soleil and Kana, so he might have to set aside some more time for his children as well so that they weren’t terribly bored and lonely while they were all still waiting.

-

“So you’ll be working with Aunt Camilla while Uncle Corrin and Aunt Selena are gone,” Shigure summarized at breakfast the next morning. They had decided to eat in Odin’s room, both kids barging in that morning- well, Ophelia barged. Shigure had quietly stepped in with all of his mother’s grace and poise and wished Odin a good morning while holding a tray of food and tea while Ophelia had practically tackled Odin in a hug. 

“While Miss Beruka is off tackling politics in Cheve!” Ophelia added, her voice a chirp before she went back to completely demolishing her fruit and toast. 

“Yes, that is the gist of it all,” Odin replied, sipping his tea.

“...If you do not mind, Father,” Shigure began cautiously. “We will never return to Nohr or the entire continent as a whole, will we?” Odin shook his head while Ophelia paused in her devouring, looking up with a far too serious look on her face. “That being the case and Ophelia and I being packed for the trip nearly three times over… there are some places in this continent that I would like to see before we leave.”

“Mm. If we’re being completely honest, we still have months before Prince Xander will be settled in enough to be able to find a replacement for Laslow.” He gave a slight shrug, taking a breath. His son was practically an adult, after all. He’d seen enough death to be able to survive something like a road trip. “So long as you’re not going nearer to the Bottomless Canyon or anywhere else obviously dangerous, I do not see why you shouldn’t be able to do this.” He looked to Ophelia. “Would you like to join him? Traveling is much safer with two people.”

“...I’d love to see the world before we leave,” she replied with a small nod. “But Father! The castle is always dark, but it is cold without the warmth of family. You will be alright braving both of these alone?”

“It would take more than solitude from family to kill the great Odin Dark,” he snorted. “No. Go into the world and see everything you wish to before we must return to the homeland.” Twin pairs of worried eyes looked at him, and he gave them a smile before Ophelia simply hugged him. They were right about the castle being colder without them, but… he had something to occupy his time now. He’d be fine. He always had been in the past, and Shigure was right to take this chance to experience his mother’s world.

Shigure was the one who swept up the plates and set them on the tray, gently leading Ophelia out of the room with a small smile in Odin’s direction before they were gone. Odin got up, brushing himself off, and then headed out to report for duty. 

-

“Spring is colder than I remember.” Niles clicked his tongue as he came over and immediately began helping Odin with moving the pile of guardhouse weapons. “Also hi. Haven’t seen you in ages, feels like.”

“After for how long we spent every dawn and dusk together and having that torn away by circumstance, it’s no shock,” Odin replied, carefully lifting a bronze lance with one hand and frowning. 

“Give me the defective thing, we’ll start a new pile.” Ever observant Sir Niles. Odin handed over the lance, and the former outlaw tossed it aside. “Lord Leo’s been getting on Camilla for “freeloading” off of you, but you’ve never really been able to sit still, yeah?” 

“No, nor do I believe my restless blood ever be able to do so.” He gave a soft sigh, picking up a silver bow and carefully running his hands over it. “Especially when there is still so much to be done.”

“You got that right, good gods.” Niles shook his head, lip curling. “We’ve been at war for so long that peace is more of a hassle to us. Half the entire country doesn’t know what to do with themselves now, us included.”

“You know me far too well for comfort,” Odin chuckled, placing the bow down in the silver pile to be cleaned later. 

“I mean, _how_ long have we worked together?” Niles grinned, tossing another defective javelin to the side. “I think that us being the same as a whole bunch of people in this dark land is a given.”

“The illumination your words give this air are tragic, but no less of a beacon of truth,” Odin replied. 

“Are you two actually working in there?” Leo’s voice questioned from outside.

“Yes milord,” both of them replied at the same time, and Odin set another silver lance down for cleaning. 

“Seriously though.” Niles nudged him. “It’s good to have you back. If you need anything, you know how eager Elise is.”

“Sometimes I wonder which of our speech patterns is truly the most misleading,” Odin chuckled, and then huffed when the elbow nudging him dug in a little deeper. “But thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Good."


	2. Chapter 2

“Camilla, I cannot in good conscience pull you away from the rest of your family like-”

“Odin.” Camilla tilted her chin upwards, smiling at him with a chilling look in her visible violet eye. “No one pulls me anywhere.”

 _Not anymore_ , a mutinous voice in Odin’s head muttered, but she had a point, and he raised a hand in defeat. “Very well. In that case I am honored beyond compare that you made the journey to the rooftop for my sake.”

“I enjoy your company,” she replied simply, sitting down next to him with her plate. “And you are-” A slight pause. “Practically family at this point,” she finished, and Odin arched an eyebrow but decided not to look too deeply into the pause, turning back to his own plate. “And those you usually eat with have all left Windmire for now. I didn’t want you sitting up here alone. Both you and Niles are rather ridiculous about not eating with the rest of us.”

“Er…” Odin flushed slightly at the almost scolding. “We don’t want to intrude. I cannot speak for Niles, but I was not present for the formative years of your family. I am aware that spouses are welcome at the table, but…” Azura had also been an outsider. He raised his hands. “Sometimes the difficulty of simple tasks is far more daunting than any horde of stoneborn to slay.”

She pursed her lips, but turned her attention to her plate. “You would still be welcome.”

“Awkwardness is a great and terrible beast that besets even the fiercest of warriors, Camilla. I will make an attempt to attend dinner tomorrow, but no oaths.”

“I _do_ value your honesty, darling…” she sighed, and Odin barely avoided wincing at the disappointment in her tone. “Even if it hurts at times.” 

The silence was kept until they both finished their food and she got up and left him sitting on the roof, staring out at Nohr’s darkness. 

-

“I feel like I’m missing cues and that disturbs me,” Odin told Niles on one of their patrols around the castle, a couple weeks after that initial awkward dinner on the roof. Operative word being initial- there had been many afterwards, some less awkward than others.

“How do you mean?” Niles asked, a slow grin spreading across his face that just spoke of trouble.

Odin pressed his lips together, reaching up to fiddle with the gem that adorned his forehead. “Camilla is making it a point to spend a lot of her time with me. I wasn’t bothered at first by it, but it is… quite the substantial amount of her life. She isn’t so friendly with you and Charlotte, is she?”

“Nope,” Niles chuckled. “You’re speaking clearly but you’re not being honest with yourself, old friend.” 

Odin’s already present frown grew deeper. It wasn’t like he couldn’t read the air and all that tapestries within it- he had gotten quite good at that since coming to Nohr, actually. It was just that he wasn’t sure he was reading it correctly- or rather that he was and didn’t want to be, like Niles was implying. 

Camilla was always near now. She was constantly asking about how he was doing, refusing to allow him to eat or do much of anything on his own. They’d talked about her unfortunate past in the castle, things that were only whispered about in the shadows. The wars- her siblings that had not survived. She’d asked about his family, and he’d still been vague, but told her about Lucina and Morgan, admitting that he and Laslow were cousins, but he mostly talked to her about his travels. She even asked if he had any current naming projects, and while he didn’t, it was still nice for his craft to be recognized- “I’m married.”

There was silence after he cut off his train of thought. “...You _were_ married,” Niles corrected gently, and Odin shot him a more scathing look than he meant to, judging by how the other man grimaced and raised his hands placatingly. “And she’s probably moving too fast, but you’re kind of leaving in a few months at most.

“So she’s in love with me.” He wasn’t even going to try and bother with the fell tongue at this point with the ache in his chest suddenly very present, and there was no point in denying something that was now very painfully obvious.

“You should really talk to _her_ about it,” Niles pointed out. “I’m not the one forcing feelings on you, I just happened to notice the fact that she’s in love and didn’t see a point in keeping it a secret.”

Odin hissed a soft sigh through his teeth. Well… "You're right. You're right… I'm sorry I'm being so short with you, I'm just-"

He could still see the sadness in her smile as she faded away and apologized softly for leaving him- after doing her duty for the sake of the world by weakening that puppetteered corpse of a prince-

"Don't worry about it." Niles's hand fell heavy on his shoulder, the former outlaw's expression uncharacteristically solemn. “These past few months have been rough on you, and I… I can imagine, thanks to Elise. I don’t know what I’d do without her and Nina in my life now that I have them.”

Odin managed a bit of a sardonic smile in response. “Probably go back to your old paths and habits because the pain’s not exactly bearable. Maybe be a little more tolerant of royalty.”

“Oh shush,” Niles snorted, but the air between them was eased, and… so was the ache in Odin’s chest, thankfully. He'd bring this up to Camilla tonight, then... it was oddly not as repulsive as he thought it would be, accepting another woman's feelings, and that... was confusing in of itself. Talking about it all would probably help. It tended to.

-

“You’re quiet tonight.”

There was no chastisement in her voice, just a bit of curiosity. A pinch of worry. Odin was fairly certain that her reason for speaking was the fact that he hadn’t touched his food and not his lack of speech outside of pleasantries, no matter how her words framed her concern. He sighed, leaving off fiddling with his wedding ring and looking up to meet her gaze. Green reflected in violet. “Camilla, do you have feelings for me?”

She was quiet, her hand slowly moving up to twirl a strand of her long, lavender hair, even as she kept her gaze on him. And then that quiet smile came back, but it was more subdued than normal. “I do, my dear Odin. I’m honestly surprised you figured it out this quickly- well, rather, so quickly since your children left.”

He shook his head, turning away to stare out at the crater he had called home for five years. Her home, his lord’s home. Never truly his nor Azura’s. “How long?”

“I’m assuming that you’re talking about my feelings.” He gave a short nod, and he heard her set her plate to the side and move closer to where he was sitting. “It was a strange feeling you gave me when you were so insistent on naming my armor, during the war,” she began softly. “Up until that point, I thought that you were simply… quite odd. Selena didn’t do much to change that opinion.”

“She wouldn’t,” Odin admitted, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the scenery ahead of him. “She’s never had much patience with me and the way I deal with things.”

“Dear Selena doesn’t have much patience in general,” Camilla chuckled before her tone grew serious again. "But the point behind all of this is that the way you put things, the effort and the showiness both amused me and made me _think._ You're an intelligent man, and the more I thought about you, the more you began to fascinate me- as you still do.” The lavender-haired princess intertwined her fingers with his. Her hand was stronger than Azura’s. More calloused, but gentle in a different way. “You’re so full of passion and life in a way that can’t be feigned. Everyone can tell that it is sincere when it is sincere, but there are also days when you’re just as jaded as any other soldier I’ve met. That side has been coming out more often with Azura’s death, but… you still manage to smile sincerely most of the times that I’ve seen you. As someone who can no longer tell the difference between a sincere smile and what I give to the court… well. Let’s just say I admire it.”

Odin swallowed, looking back to her. “Your smiles are sincere.” 

The one she was wearing now grew more gentle. “I have no point of reference, dear. Not like you do, with the world you have described to me.” She sighed, the smile fading, and she brought their hands up to look at. “I know how this looks, but… I have loved you for so long. I’ve looked among the army and the courts for another man and I thought that it was my fate to be unmarried.” Her lower lip trembled slightly. “I am in no way pleased with Azura’s death-”

“I would never accuse you of being so,” Odin interrupted quietly, and pulled their hands towards his own face to study. “I just… had no idea.” She had seemed amused by him back then, yes, and she’d said that was part of her feelings, but… but then he had been introduced to the quiet mystery that was Azura, and she understood him and his problems and had given him a family in this cold place-

“Odin.” Her hand moved up to wipe away the sudden moisture on his cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t bring this up with you because Azura deserved to be happy, and then Azura died and we both needed to mourn… but you are _leaving_ soon.” Something like desperation entered the princess’s voice for the first time, and Odin blinked through his tears, looking up at her. “You’ve lost a wife, I have lost my sister, and we are both alone in this castle despite our family,” she continued softly, moving her face closer. “So… I know it is a selfish request. But… I want to know if we work together. Will you share these last few months with me, and if it doesn’t… I can be certain and do my best to move on from this love I have?”

Odin hesitated, glancing down at the wedding ring on his hand again. Their intertwined hands. The ache in his chest felt like a fire now, crackling and burning, but… at the very least, it was a warmth in this cold land. He looked back up at her, into her eyes. And then, because if he had learned anything from Azura, sometimes words were not needed. So he simply touched their lips together.

Neither of them ate their food that night, but they did manage to make it back to Camilla’s bedroom despite the tears and how wonderful their bodies felt together.


	3. Epilogue

“...You’re really coming with us.” Corrin blinked somewhat owlishly at Camilla. The dragon prince was doing… better, Odin noted. He’d managed to get through all of the goodbyes just fine, but his gaze and his general focus still seemed to be elsewhere half of the time, and he was still paler than anyone could call healthy. Not that Odin could judge.

“Of course I am, darling, I couldn’t just leave you and dear Selena on your own,” Camilla cooed, pulling him into an embrace. Corrin stiffened slightly, but then melted into the embrace. As per the usual after the war. “Not to mention my nieces and nephews! I’ve always wanted to see these three’s homeland anyways.”

“But-”

“Like I told Xander, I’m not needed here. Elise has my projects handled, especially with Niles by her side.” Camilla patted his head, and Odin did his utmost not to blush at the knowing look that Laslow was giving him. He hadn’t spelled out his and Camilla’s relationship to everyone yet, but a lot was implied. He hadn’t mentioned the fact that Camilla was pregnant, either, given that they weren’t married…

“Anyways, we should go,” Selena muttered. They were in the very empty ballroom since there were so many of them traveling to Ylisse together.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s!” Kana beamed, latching onto Corrin from behind, and Camilla let go with a musical laugh, stepping back to take Odin’s hand. Shigure eyed the gesture, and Odin gave a quiet mental sigh. He’d explain once they were through. No need to distract from the moment.

“I’m excited to meet your mom, Dad,” Soleil said with a grin, swaying back and forth on her feet with a warrior’s grace. Ophelia had whispered to him once it was what the pink-haired girl did when nervous.

“Right.” Laslow pulled out the milky orb, giving them all a bright grin of his own. “Let’s go home then.” There was a murmur of assent, and without further ado, he smashed it on the ground, and blinding white light filled the room all around them.

Odin knew they weren’t supposed to see anything in the light from their previous time traveling to Valla- but he saw her anyways. Perhaps a Vallite blessing, perhaps a hallucination, but she was there, her golden eyes meeting his green. She was too far away to touch or see clearly, because of course he couldn’t touch her again.

Seeing her blue hair flow the same way as her white clothing with light threading through them should be blessing enough. She looked at him, her children, and then his hand interlaced with Camilla’s… and then she smiled. That beautiful, closed eyes smile that was far more innocent than any other expression she’d ever given. The smile he had so rarely seen. “ _Go on,_ ” her mouth whispered. _“Be happy._ ”

Odin swallowed, his hand tightening on Camilla’s as the light swallowed them. “Goodbye,” he mouthed back to both his Nohrian name and the woman who had given him his first children and her blessing.

Perhaps this time he could truly make a home in Ylisse with someone who would stay by his side. He hoped for that at least, as the light began to fade to a blue sky and the smell of grass that tasted more familiar than Nohr's stale air ever would.


End file.
